Skiploads of soft toys are being thrown away by charity shop workers who fear they will fail tough EU safety laws.

Every week skips and bins are stuffed full of cuddly creatures, board games, books and electrical gadgets donated to charity.

Charity shop volunteers blame the EU rules and the thoughtlessness of people using the shops to get rid of shoddy cast-offs.

Michael Ellwood was horrified to see the overflowing bins outside charity shops in East Grinstead.

As well as children's soft toys, board games and puzzles, he found china and glass, pictures, photo frames and glossy books .

He was alarmed that three commercial bins outside the British Red Cross shop in West Street had to be emptied several times a week.

And two outside the Cancer Research UK shop in London Road were becoming full each week.

He said: "Most of it is in a clean, complete and good condition.

"Books are being thrown away that span a wide range of interesting topics. A number can still be found on sale in local bookshops.

"The Red Cross is a global organisation distributing aid to thousands of people in developing countries. Children in these countries would be glad of the endless soft toys thrown away each week."

But charity stores said safety guidelines forced them to discard many toys.

Bob Thomas, of the British Red Cross shop, said: "A lot of cuddly toys, if they're not brand new, can be potentially dangerous because of the pins in them.

"We can't take any risks when it comes to safety."

Chris Bonnett, manageress of the Oxfam shop in London Road, said it sold only toys with EU-approved safety tags.

Charity shops are also unable to sell electrical goods which have not been fully checked by a qualified electrician, with many deciding not to stock them at all.

Ms Bonnett said: "It's quite a big process you have to go through which we don't have the time or the finances for, so it's not worth the risk.

"We also don't sell prams, pushchairs or cycle helmets because we can't guarantee their safety.

"It's not in our interests to throw anything away that is saleable. But we do get given a lot of broken or incomplete toys, games and puzzles. They have to be binned.

"A lot of people have the attitude that anything will do for a charity shop and use us as a dumping ground. Sometimes the bags are full of their litter as well as a few donations.

"Many people try to help us raise money and we're grateful for that. But if you put substandard stuff in the shop, it will make everything look sub-standard."

Mr Thomas also blamed the thoughtlessness of many donors.

He said: "Absolutely nothing goes in the bin that can't be saved. But we do get some real rubbish.

"The other day a lady brought in a birdcage with broken glass sides.

"You couldn't sell that on.

I put it in the bin but someone took it out and left it on our doorstep again. Some people just don't understand."